What songs did I miss? Tell me in the comments section.
(Arranged by year written.)
Mike
Before 1913:
“Romance de Amour” probably by Antonio Rubira, performed by Marija Agic
1924:
“Nessun dorma” by Giacomo Puccini, sung by Luciano Pavarotti
1935:
“Blue Moon” by Billie Holliday
1939:
“Concierto de Aranjuz'“ by Rodrigo, performed by Pablo Sainz-Villegas
1946:
“You Make Me Feel So Young” by Mack Gordon and Josef Myrow, sung by Frank Sinatra
1951:
“Unforgettable” by Irving Gordon, sung by Nat King Cole
1955:
“Unchained Melody” by Alex North and Hy Zaret, sung by the Righteous Brothers
1957:
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Ewan MacColl, covered in 1972 by Roberta Flack
1960:
“La Ragazza di Bube” by Carlo Rustichelli
1961:
“Stand by Me” by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, sung by Ben E. King
1965:
“RESPECT” by Otis Redding, rearranged and sung in 1967 by Aretha Franklin
1968:
“For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder
“Romeo and Juliet Theme” by Henry Mancini and Nino Rota
1970:
“Love Story Theme” by Francis Lai
“Your Song” by Bernie Taupin and Elton John, performed by Elton John
1971:
“Tiny Dancer” by Bernie Taupin and Elton John, performed by Elton John
“She’s Got a Way” by Billy Joel
1973:
1974:
1975:
“Love of My Life” by Queen (sung to 300,000 people in South America)
1978:
“The Man with the Child in His Eyes” by Kate Bush
1979:
“Just Because” by Robert Sitoussi, Marco Tobaly, and Michael Wendroff, performed by Ray Charles
1980:
“Always on My Mind” by Willie Nelson
1981:
“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by the Police
1983:
“Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman
1984:
1986:
“Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, sung by Emmy Rossum
“In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel
1988:
“This Woman’s Work” by Kate Bush
1990:
“Reflections of Passion” by Yanni
1992:
1993:
“Until the Last Moment” by Yanni
1994:
1997:
“I Know That My Heart Will Go On” by James Horner and Will Jennings, sung by Celine Dion
“Enchantment” by Yanni with lyrics and sung in 2009 by Nathan Pacheco
1998:
“You’re Still the One” by Shania Twain
1999:
“Don’t Know Why” by Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos, covered in 2002 by Norah Jones
“I Will Carry You” by Michael W. Smith
2000:
2001:
“A Woman’s Worth” by Alicia Keys
2002:
“Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones
2003:
“Remember When” by Alan Jackson
2004:
2005:
2006:
“The World” by Brad Paisley, Kelley Lovelace, and Lee Thomas Miller, performed by Brad Paisley
2007:
“To Build a Home” by Patrick Watson
2008:
“Never Gonna Be Alone” by Nickelback
2009:
2010:
“Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars
2011:
“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri and David Hodges, sung by Christina Perri
2012:
“I Will Wait” by Mumford and Sons
“Lover of the Light” by Mumford and Sons
2013:
2014:
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge, performed by Ed Sheeran
“A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay
2015:
“Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay
“Hymn for the Weekend” by Coldplay
2016:
2017:
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran featuring Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli
2018:
“Guiding Light” by Mumford and Sons
2019:
2022:
Fascinating list. I approve of the lion's share. Though late to this post, I would add the following. (Off the top of my head)
- My Funny Valentine
- La Vie en Rose (Piaf, but Louis Armstrong did an excellent version)
- Jolene, by Dolly Parton
- Hey Good Lookin, by Hank Williams
- Ring of Fire, by Johnny Cash; and no true Cash fan should be ashamed of the very innocent Ballad of a Teenage Queen
- As I Roved Out, by Planxty (Irish folk song: the album it is from, The Well Below The Valley, has two different songs by that name, both good, but the one I mean is the longer one)
- If I Was A Carpenter, by Tim Hardin (thought by many to be by Cash, but Cash's version is a cover)
- Something by Elvis: Love Me Tender, Can't Help Falling In Love, Burning Love, I Want To Be Your Teddy Bear and Don't Be Cruel are a few strong candidates
- Donna, by Ritchie Valens
- Somebody to Love, by the Jefferson Airplane
- Brandy, by Looking Glass
- If You See Her Say Hello, by Bob Dylan (his best love song in my opinion, especially if we regard It Ain't Me Babe as an anti-love song)
- Landslide and Go Your Own Way, by Fleetwood Mac (the Cranberries actually do a good cover of the second song)
- Faithfully and Open Arms, by Journey
- Hallelujah, by Leonard Cohen (more popular version done and arranged by John Cale) You Got Me Singing is a good later Cohen number
- Wildflowers, by Tom Petty
- Elton John's version of Can You Feel The Love Tonight
- Is This Love and No Woman No Cry, by Bob Marley. Other Marley fans would make a good case for Satisfy My Soul and Waiting In Vain, but I won't stress those two
- Somebody to Love, by Queen
- for The Police, I would also add Every Breath You Take and Wrapped Around My Finger. While many of their love songs feature emotions we'd rather not associate with love - like the "stalker" side of Every Breath You Take - they are still love songs.
- Love Love Love and Woke Up New, by the Mountain Goats
- And for shits and giggles, The KKK Took My Baby Away by the Ramones
Regarding the Cranberries: while Dreams is one of their big hits I think I Can't Be With You is a much better love song. That's from a fan perspective though, not a singles one.
Some real beauties on here, and some I've never heard. The Zucchero song I love is Cosi Celeste